Annie, The Felt Fairy: Share Your Sparkle!

Tuesday, 1 November 2011

A little while back, I asked if anyone would be willing to share their favourite pieces of jewellery here on Mimi and Tilly. I am fascinated by jewellery, and jewellery designs. But I'm also fascinated with the emotions behind jewellery.

I don't know any woman who doesn't have a jewellery box. Or own at least one piece of jewellery that is somehow, and for some very important reason, very close to her heart.

I also know men who treasure and collect watches, and have never taken off their wedding ring.

We all seem to have an attachment in some way to a piece of jewellery.

I was surprised and delighted to find that you were willing to tell me the stories behind your treasured gems. Thank you.

I've tried to be understated and artistic about today's post. I've tried, but I just couldn't do it. Instead, I've gone completely the other way, rolled with it, run with it, jumped all over it, and made the most opulent "Share Your Sparkle!" header I could muster for my first guest blogger. And when I say "made", I mean "added a title and border after a lot of indecisive fandangling around" to a beautiful banner I found at The Cutest Blog on the Block.

Yes, you heard me correctly.

I have my first guest blogger here on Mimi and Tilly today. A lovely lady who has agreed to share her sparkle with us, and tell us her story around it! I am so excited. I couldn't be more delighted that the very first person who has agreed to take the lid off their jewellery box and share their sparkle here on Mimi and Tilly is...

I first came across Annie's blog not long after I started blogging two years ago, and am so glad I did. Annie is feisty, funny, and extremely big-hearted. I'm very proud to call her my friend.If you haven't already come across Annie's blog, I strongly recommend that you go over and visit! In a minute though, not right now...Just click on the photo of Annie's blog header and you'll be taken through an internet portal to her beautiful site.

So, without further ado (I've always wanted to use that phrase legitimately), I'd like to offer a huge and very warm welcome to Annie...

I love jewellery and especially sparkly jewels! If I am honest, I love a nice bit of bling, the bigger the better – gold, silver, plastic, I don’t care! I have a good mix of everything.

When my lovely friend Emma invited me to do a guest post I was delighted.

The brief was that it was to be about a favourite piece of jewellery and I immediately knew that I had a story to tell. Pieces of jewellery, in my case gold and diamonds, are part of one of the most important relationships in my life. Strangely, although we are talking about a wedding and engagement ring, this relationship is not between a man and wife, nor two lovers, no, this relationship is far more important than anythinglike that.

The relationship in question is the one between me and my beloved grandmother, or as I knew her, my "gagga". My childhood scouse dialect would say "me gagger". "Gagga" came from the fact that my brother could not pronounce grandma.

My gagga came from a very poor background, proper Liverpudlian working class. Gagga was born in the slums and worked her fingers to the bone in order to better her lot and that of her grandchildren. In Liverpool during my childhood and teens one way of showing your worth was gold. Brash, flash and the bigger the better.

For my 16th birthday came my gold sovereign on a heavy antique chain – I still have it! It was so precious to Gagga; she was so pleased to bestow such a great gift on to me, her granddaughter, that to this day it is precious to me.

When my gagga died a few days after my 30th birthday I thought that I too would die from the pain. Her death had been expected but was none the less agonising. Before she died she gave my mum her wedding ring and engagement ring. They were not very old as she had replaced them after a burglary. Even though they were not original they were so precious to her as she had been able to "upgrade" to her very own choice of jewels. They were big, spangly and shouted out to anyone who cared that Annie Clayton had indeed made it! She wore them with such pride.

My mother tried the rings on but, to be honest, they did not suit her beautiful tiny hands and my sister was far too refined to carry off such bling. There was only one person for the job and that was me! Me with the big earrings and the painted talons! Oh yes, I was a woman who cared little for the fact that they were in some circles "a bit common", a bit loud, a bit footballers wife: I bloody loved them and I still do!

I have a lot of old gold. It is all precious to me, as each and every piece is associated with my wonderful gagga, Annie Clayton!

Annie, thank you so much for sharing your story here with us at Mimi and Tilly. I have loved reading your post, and seeing your gagga's rings. They are just beautiful. As a special thank you, I've made a blog button for you to post on your blog! Feel free to add it to your sidebar, Annie, with a link back to your post.

So, what did you think of Annies' absolutely stunning jewels? Do you have a special piece of jewellery you completely adore?

If you are interested in knowing more about the story behind "Share Your Sparkle" or fancy sharing your sparkle here on Mimi and Tilly, click on the link below to find out more...

19 comments

Wear your knuckle dusters with pride, I say! - only joking Annie. It's lovely that you have things to pass on through the family and I'm all for a bit of bling. Your grandma sounds an interesting lady, would like to know more - I do like stories from the old days and sadly as our old people pass on, their knowledge and skills will be lost to future generations. And hello to this lovely blog, what a great idea to guest post like this.

Lovely story Annie, it reminds me of my own grandma. I have a beautiful opal bracelet she left to me and is very special.My grandad brought it back from India for her when he was stationed there during the war.Ann x

What a lovely story and what a lovely way to keep a loved one in your thoughts. I have a few pieces of jewellery with memories attached as well, and even though some are only costume jewellery, all of them are very dear to me.

My gran left me her gold charm bracelet (she liked her chunky gold bling!) Also my dad left my daughter his sovereign ring. The really sad thing was, I was burgled, and they must have been taken!! Unfortunately, they weren't insured : (The moral of the story is 'Make sure you're valuables are insured!!!'

I loved reading your story,Annie,it was wonderful to read of your close relationship to your Gagga.I had exactly the same relationship with my Nanna and know what you mean of dying from the pain,thats just how I felt.I now wear my Nannas wedding ring every day with pride.take care,julie.xxx

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